I was recently on my weekly Mindshare meeting – this is a lot like a mastermind group, but with the emphasis on the share. One of our group had been going through a particularly hard time, having seen their client base slowly grow smaller and smaller. It’s easy to say this is due to the economy – and certainly that is accurate. But as I listened to our group share one creative solution after another with the team member, I heard this person’s INR rear its ugly head at every turn.
For those of you who haven’t read my book, “You Unstuck,” INR is our Immediate Negative Response. I want to be clear, this doesn’t mean the group member is a negative person – not at all. In fact, the INR is actually not a negative thing, when used properly.

It’s safe to say that human beings are the most versatile species on the planet. One reason is that we can see the obstacles in front of us – sometimes from miles away – and problem-solve those puzzles with great success. The issue with that is that we are designed to see all of the obstacles in our path – even when the path may not have any! Or when the obstacles would be easily overcome – or worse, when they were just possibilities phantoms that lurk but might never have actually appeared. But we let them stop us anyway.

Later this week, I’m going to send you three tools to stop the INR in its tracks and remove those roadblocks from your life. Today, however, I just want you to listen to yourself and consider what’s been holding you back. It’s quite likely that ideas, solutions and options have presented themselves already. Ask yourself if you’ve rejected these out of hand, perhaps even without realizing. After all, if we’re loaded up with all the reasons something won’t work, will we ever allow ourselves to find what will work.

If you’d like to share your ideas on this and get some feedback, feel free comment here or to post onto my Facebook Group Wall.

I had the good fortune to present to two very dynamic groups of women leaders recently. First, Medtronic's women in technical field sales who provide medical devices like pacemakers and diabetes supplies to hospitals around the world.